Sunday, July 13, 2008

YA Review: "Peak" by Roland Smith (rated 4 stars)

Peak, that really is his name, was named by his father, a famous mountaineer. His father was getting ready to climb yet another mountain in Southeast Asia. He was not there when Peak was born but after Peak’s arrest, he has all of sudden come back into his life.Peak needs to lay low and leave New York. His father take him back to Asia. However, he never could have guessed that his father was taking him to climb – Everest!For a 14 year old boy, who is also a climber, this is the best thing yet. But why? Why is he here? What are his father’s motives? The story follows Peak as he confronts physical and mental challenges to get to the top. He has to deal with his father. He has to deal with this mountain. It is full of adventure, wonderful descriptions of Everest and gives the reader a look inside the strenuous physical challenge of climbing Everest. It is a coming of age story but the challenges that Peak faces to go to the summit make is even a more worthwhile read.